Invertebrate
Fuxianhuia protensa
Fuxianhuia protensaFuxianhuia protensa scuttled along the muddy sea bottoms of early Cambrian oceans around 518 million years ago, representing one of the earliest known stem-arthropods. Fossil specimens remarkably preserve delicate soft tissues, including traces of complex tripartite brains, cardiovascular vessels, and digestive tracts filled with sediment. Its articulated head shield and multipodous trunk offer crucial anatomical clues about how modern insects, crustaceans, and arachnids evolved their distinct body plans.
CambrianFossil
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPriapulid worms, Microbial mats, Organic detritus
Predators
- Anomalocaris saron
- Amplectobelua symbrachiata
ThreatsCambrian marine ecosystem shifts and regional anoxia
HabitatsShallow tropical marine continental shelves
Life span1–3 years
Classification
- FamilyFuxianhuiidae
- GenusFuxianhuia
- SpeciesFuxianhuia protensa
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct fossil species that poses no danger.
Responsible observation
- Museum Viewing: Examine exceptionally preserved shale specimens at major paleontological institutes.
- Fossil Research: Look for preserved gut traces and eye stalks in published high-resolution CT scans.
Predator Gaëtan J.-M. Potin and Allison C. Daley / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Image unavailableNeighbor 
Same Family Junnn11 / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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